Sample Size

 Sample size determination is

closely related to statistical
estimation.
 Examples:
1. A university dean wishes to estimate the
average number of hours his part-time
instructors teach per week. The S.D from a
previous study is 2.6 hours. How large a
sample must be selected if he wants to be
99% confident of finding whether the true
mean differ from the sample mean by 1
hour?
Therefore, to be 99% confident that
the true mean differ from the
sample mean by 1 hour, the
university dean must select at least
45 part-time instructors.
2. In measuring reaction time, a
psychologist estimates that the S.D is
0.05 seconds. How large a sample of
measurement must be take in order to
be 95% confident that the error in his
estimate of mean reaction time will not
exceed 0.01 second?
Therefore, to be 95% confident that
the error in his estimate of mean
reaction time will not exceed 0.01
second, a psychologist must
measure at least 96 reaction time.
3. A scientist wishes to estimate the
average depth of a river. He wants to be
99% confident that the estimate is
accurate within 2 feet. From a previous
study, the standard deviation of the
depths measured was 4.33 feet.
4. A health care professional wishes to
estimate the birth weights of infants.
How large a sample must be obtained if
she desires to be 90% confident that the
true mean is within 2 ounces of the
sample mean? Assume S.D = 8 ounces.
5. A pizza shop owner wishes to find the
95% confidence interval of the true mean
cost of a large plain pizza. How large should
the sample be if she wishes to be accurate to
within $0.15?A previous study showed that
the standard deviation of the price was
$0.26.